Therazine Chapter 9

They had reached a long room that was lined with many shelves and transparent cases. Jim had a sense of immense age as he saw ancient artifacts encased in glass display cases that formed rows the length of the stone-vaulted room. It was the same feeling he had when he visited the Smithsonian one summer during a field trip to see a display of artifacts from ancient Egypt. The Fortress was like that; set in the L-langon hills, huge and rambling, wings added over the centuries as families came and went. There were rooms that almost no one visited, unless it was to clean them. Sarek kept an office there when he and Amanda were in residence to escape the intense summer heat that hung over the capital city, Shi'Kahr, in the lowlands below. Ancestors of Spock had lived in the L-langon Mountains, continuously, for thousands of years.

Spock took a black and ornately carved and lacquered chest from a shelf along the wall, brought it to a table and set it down between them. The black chest was inlaid with metal wires and gemstones that looked like flying pterodactyls. Jim thought the chest was made of wood but wasn't sure. Spock turned the box so that when opened, it faced Jim. Inside was an elaborately carved scabbard made of what looked like leather. The scabbard was similar in length to a gladius and was decorated with Vulcan script in metalwork and gemstones.

Jim reached out and touched the scabbard. "May I?"

It was the most ornate short sword Jim had ever seen. The hilt was encrusted with gems and entwined with intricate patterns in gold and silver metals. It seemed out of place in the dignified but austere décor of the Fortress. The Vulcan presented it to the human, hilt first. "The Sword of T'lar, handed down to us from the Before Time."

Jim's eyes were wide with appreciation as he took the weapon.

The soft lights of the archive room flashed along the blue-shadowed blade, revealing a Damascus-like pattern in the steel, with Vulcan runes and etchings of what looked like dragons. Jim tested the balance, moving the weapon through a few thrusts and parries. It was perfect.

Jim looked up at Spock with appreciation. "I don't know what I expected to see, but it wasn't this."

"It is the sword of the House of Surak, made by T'lar the Master Forger, in the Before Time of the Beginning."

Jim proceeded to hand it back, carefully.

The Vulcan shook his head slightly. "Keep it. It's yours."

Jim was sure he must have heard wrong.

"Ahh…Spock…I …can't-you didn't mean—"

"The sword is part of my inheritance, and as such, is mine to do with as I wish. I wish to give it to you. It is your right, as T'hy'la, to possess it."

"Ahh…Spock, this is a family heirloom. It's priceless. It is priceless?"

"It is worth more than a mere fortune. It is the symbol of all that Vulcan was, and could be again, if we forgo the discipline of logic and let our emotions rule us. If you refuse it, then you have paid a grave dishonor to your family."

Jim stared at the beautiful weapon, deeply touched by the Vulcan's generosity. He felt the smoothness of the gold, saw the fire burning deep inside the gemstones, saw the blue sparkling reflections from the thousands-layered pattern of the steel. The craftsmanship was beyond superb. "Thank you," he whispered.

"The sword plays a significant part in my family's history. It has been passed down from generation to generation as part of my inheritance. As such it is my duty and privilege to keep it and use as I desire. Although, it hasn't been used in battle for centuries. As you know, Vulcan in ancient times was very much a clan culture. And there are aspects of that tribal culture that exist to this day. One is the political organization of the planet. Certain ancient families control much of the wealth and power of the planet and influence many of the lesser families. The most honored and most powerful of the ancient families is the House of Surak. It was powerful and wealthy before Surak became known as the Bringer of Logic. Surak, you know from what I have told you about Vulcan history. Surak who is called the "Peacemaker," who brought the discipline of logic to my world. My name is a derivative of Surak. You call me Spock. It means Mediator, or Peacemaker. But that is not my only name. I have other names that my mother gave me and I have names that have been given to me by the Family. Private names spoken only by the family and never in public. I have titles, properties, possessions, and responsibilities to that Family, the House of Surak. Those duties and responsibilities I rarely speak of, partly because of the Vulcan tradition of privacy, and also because it had nothing to do with my duties onboard ship. But I wish you to know of it. It is long past the time when you should have known and have never asked to know. You were involved with a private Family matter once—my wedding—in a very personal and unpleasant way and have never asked for an explanation or to satisfy your curiosity."

"It's not necessary, Spock."

"Perhaps not, but it's long overdue."

"I thought you would tell me if you wanted to."

Spock nods. "Some of this you know. My House is the House of Surak. I am a son of Sarek and of T'pau, who is my father's mother, what you call, grandmother. Because of that, and other relationships, I am a descendant of Surak, and the last in a long line of ancestors and descendants of Surak who have ruled in one way or another over Vulcan for thousands of years. The sword is part of that millennia-long tradition that binds us together. In ancient times there were many wars, and much death in battle. Only those warriors who were successful survived to carry on the traditions of the sword brotherhood. In this respect, Vulcan was much like Romulus of today. As we have spoken of it before, you know the Romulans were once Vulcans and still maintain a warrior culture. It was this warrior culture, and the need to maintain some stability within the clans, that encouraged the bonding ceremony between warriors."

"Bonding ceremony?" Jim listened, fascinated.

Spock knew the time had come. "It is a thing that warrior brothers do, those who have a close relationship, those who are as we are, T'hy'la. It is a bond that binds the two together as one."

Jim was reluctant to let it the weapon go, but surrendered it to Spock when asked, where it nestled safety in its scabbard and chest, returned to its rightful place in the archive.

"There is a place I would show you. It is the Tower of Surak."